Starting Over
by Thelchtereia
Summary: Not all relationships are as stable as they seem, and when Yuushi tries to hide something from Gakuto it creates a rift. Gakushi, slight future fic.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Prince of Tennis, any of the characters, or most of the idea. That is all copyright Takeshi Konomi, I'm merely adding my own thoughts and expanding on some characters for absolutely no profit or gain.

**Warnings: **Innuendo and a little bit of angst.

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"Tadaima."

A tired-sounding voice called from the entryway, catching Gakuto's attention immediately. The red-head jumped up from where he'd been seated on the couch and raced down the short hallway to where the voice had come from. At the end of the hall he took a flying leap and threw his arms and legs around the blue-haired tensai who had barely managed to shove on his house slippers before the interruption.

"Okaeri." Gakuto called out, a grin plastered on his face until he noticed the look on Yuushi's face and promptly scowled. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Gakuto." Yuushi replied in that slowly drawled voice of his, the edges of his lips turning upward in an obviously forced smile.

Gakuto wasn't fooled for even a moment. He jabbed a finger at the crease between Yuushi's eyebrows and glared. "Damnit Yuushi, don't lie to me." The redhead growled in his most menacing voice, ignoring the fact that he'd knocked the tensai's glasses askew.

The smile faltered and then slipped completely from Yuushi's lips as he walked down the hall and into the living room, completely unperturbed by the extra weight still clinging to him. One of his arms slid around Gakuto as he walked, and with the opposite hand he nudged his glasses back into place. Yuushi was avoiding answering the question for as long as he could and made a huge ordeal of settling onto the couch, but Gakuto wasn't willing to let it go that easily.

"Yuushi." Gakuto's tone was half whine and half warning, and the tensai knew he had to think of something fast or face Gakuto's wrath; he sure as hell wasn't in the mood to say what was on his mind just yet.

So Yuushi turned over and took Gakuto with him, pressing him back against the couch cushions until he was sprawled along the length of it with Yuushi poised above him.

The redhead glared up at him and crossed his arms over his chest. "That isn't going to work this time Yuushi."

Yuushi let out a sigh, but didn't move from where he was. "Can't you let it go just this once?"

Gakuto's glare intensified and he shook his head. "It's really bothering you, I'm not just gonna let it go. Besides, I want to know who said it _this_ time."

Yuushi muttered a curse under his breath. He should've known Gakuto was more insightful than that. But Yuushi decided to play it stupid, hoping that Gakuto would leave it well enough alone. "What are you talking about?"

Gakuto shoved Yuushi roughly, and before the tensai even knew what was coming he found himself on his back on the floor beside the couch. Within seconds Gakuto was standing at his feet, his hands balled into fists at his sides and his voice furious.

"Damnit Yuushi, stop playing stupid! This is third time you've come home depressed like this. I know what they're saying to you at work. They're criticizing you for living with me aren't they? Criticizing you for being gay. Well guess what Yuushi, coming home and having sex with me to pretend that nothing's wrong isn't going to make it all go away. It isn't going to make them stop talking about you, and it sure as hell going to make me ignore the fact that it's bothering you." Gakuto took a deep breath and only then realized he was shaking and that tears were stinging his eyes.

Yuushi had frozen where he'd fallen on the floor and was staring wide-eyes up at Gakuto, but it didn't stop the redhead from finishing his tirade.

"You shouldn't worry about what other people think and keep second guessing everything we have. That isn't how love is supposed to work. If you want to take the easy way out and leave; if you're not comfortable being with me then get out, and don't come back." Gakuto swallowed hard after the words had left his mouth, terrified that Yuushi would get up and walk out. He was shaking so much he could hardly stand, and his vision was blurry with tears but he wasn't going to give in.

"Gakuto." Yuushi's voice was hardly even a whisper, and Gakuto could hear the crack in it caused either by emotion or tears—he didn't know which. "I would never leave you just because of the thing they say. Of course it bothers me; you expect me to not care that it's people like them that make own lives that much harder? It bothers me because I don't want you to have to deal with imbeciles like them, and I know it shouldn't get to me but it does."

Yuushi stood while he was speaking and moved tentative closer to Gakuto until he was sure the redhead wouldn't shove him away. Then he put his arms over Gakuto's shoulders and pulled him roughly closer in an embrace.

"I love you, Gakuto, and I'm sorry. It'll always bother me that people are so close-minded and refuse to accept that we're together. But I would never leave you just to comply with what society considers normal."

Gakuto's arms reluctantly slid around Yuushi, and he choked back a sob as he buried his face into Yuushi's shirt.

"Gaku-chan." Yuushi called softly, and after a moment of hesitation Gakuto lifted his head to look up at the tensai. "I'm sorry."

Gakuto swallowed hard and blinked back the tears that filled his eyes. "S'ok Yuushi." He reluctantly answered, and Yuushi was insightful enough to ignore the tears already coursing down the redhead's head cheeks. "Just tell me next time. Don't try to hide it from me; you don't have to protect me like some girl."

Yuushi pulled him back into a hug and rested his chin lightly atop the shorter boy's hair. "Can we start over?"

While he was out of the blue-haired boy's view, Gakuto wiped the tears away from his eyes and nodded.

"So, how was your day, Gaku-chan?"

Gakuto squirmed backward out of the hug and grinned up at Yuushi. His eyes were still teary and the grin was obviously forced, but it was a start. "The idiot that kept fucking up the records at work finally got fired."

The glee was so evident in Gakuto's voice that Yuushi couldn't help but smile despite the disastrous beginning to the evening. "Well I'm glad they dealt with the imbeciles at your work, because the ones at mine are still driving me crazy." The tensai retorted dryly, a frown marring his features as he reflected back on his afternoon.

Gakuto swiftly prodded Yuushi's chest, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Don't worry about them Yuushi, they're just jealous their girlfriends aren't half as flexible as I am." The mischievous glint was back in Gakuto's eyes, his sharp tongue slowly recovering and his distaste for Yuushi's coworkers glaringly obvious.

Yuushi's smile quickly turned into a sly grin. "As well they should be. They don't know what they're missing. And you know, I'm always up for a reminder." The tensai's slow drawl was back full swing, exaggerated by the sudden shift in mood.

Gakuto stared contemplatively up at him for a moment, eyes slightly narrowed as he sifted through his choices. Then he turned suddenly and walked off down the hallway toward the bedroom without a word.

Yuushi watched after him for a moment, making sure that he hadn't further annoyed the temperamental redhead. The slow, purposeful strides and the slight seductive sway in his hips told Yuushi different. "We haven't eaten dinner yet." Yuushi called after him as he followed the pathway down the hall to the bedroom door.

Gakuto was standing just inside the doorframe, his head cocked to one side in a clear silent question of 'why are you thinking of things like that in a time like this?' "Dinner can wait" Gakuto snapped, pulling a by no means resistant Yuushi in by the hand and closing the door behind him.

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**Author's Note:** So I still dunno if I'm quite satisfied with the ending but I had to get that out of my system. Comments and constructive criticism are much appreciated :D


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